Again, another very strong round, and I feel bad about some ratings, but oh well. This keeps it nice and competitive.
1 pointArtist: Mystery
Song: Pride
Sent by: lonestarSorry bro, but this one just didn't do a lot to me. Clocking in at 11 and a half minutes, this was the longest song of the bunch and it felt like a chore to listen to at parts - atmospheric, yes, but in some places it verged on the border of being flat-out boring. The structure became a little formulaic after a while, because it was basically calm, acoustic guitars - heavier part with distorted guitars - rinse and repeat throughout. The instrumentation itself was quite good, especially the keys and the guitar playing, but something about the singer bothered me, even though I can't really put my finger on it. Still, not a bad song by any means, but not really that good either.
2 pointsArtist: Ayreon
Song: Dawn of a Million Souls
Sent by: jingle.boyAfter hearing everyone hype Ayreon, I started listening to THE sometime ago and I think I quit after the third track or something, so I was a little wary when I saw that you had sent me a track from them. It was definitely better than anything that I had heard from the band before, so I'll give you that, but it still didn't really click with me. I don't really think that this is all that atmospheric, but your reasoning does make sense and it was a rather hazy theme, so I won't take off points for that. As with THE, the instrumentalists were quite good and the track was well composed (better than the THE songs that I listened to), especially the instrumental section was pretty cool, with the simpler solo leading into the all-out shred solo, that worked really well. My biggest problem with this one were the keyboards, they sound extremely cheesy and really detracted from the enjoyment of the song. All in all, not a bad song, but it has more potential than that that was used.
Artist: Anathema
Song: The Storm Before the Calm
Sent by: WindMasterI was rather hopeful that this would make a better impression than Thin Air did, but it seems that Anathema isn't the band for me. There were some cool parts (like with Thin Air, I especially liked the calmer parts), like the intro guitar and the break in the middle of the song with the choir above it. However, the ending dragged on for far too long for my tastes and the beginning, after the intro motif was rather lackluster, in my opinion. It had a lot going on, but it wasn't really memorable in any shape or form.
3 pointsArtist: OSI
Song: Microburst Alert
Sent by: UltimetalheadI had listened to a few OSI tracks already, but none off of Blood except for the title track, so I let this one slide. Overall, it was a great song, I really dug the simple riffing, the groove of the track and the electronic elements, though I have to be in the right mood for electronic music in general. The best part of the song was the simple yet effective riff that enters around the 2:30 minute mark. The one gripe I had with this song was that the electronically modified vocals weren't really my cup of tea here, I think I would have enjoyed it more as an instrumental, but I still liked it a lot.
Artist: Subsignals
Song: Beautiful and Monstrous
Sent by: wolfkingKade seems to have a penchant for landing in the middle of the pack, it seems. Like the other rounds, I thoroughly enjoyed this track, especially the intro, which set the tone nicely for the rest of the song. I was a little taken aback when the vocals entered and they are definitely the weakest point of the song, even though I warmed up to them a little, the vocals just sound a little whiny in the higher range. The vocal melodies were great, though, and the song was very enjoyable as a whole. Keep it up!
Artist: Alcest
Song: Écailles de Lune, Part 1
Sent by: ariichAnother band that I hadn't checked out earlier, even though I had heard a lot of good stuff. This was a great tune, the instrumentation is very subdued at the beginning, but it draws you into the song all the same. The vocals are great as well, they sound a little distant, but it helps them blend into the overall sound very well. The tempo and mood shift around 7:45 came a little sudden on the first listen, but it makes sense and it fits the song, keeping it from becoming boring by changing the mood drastically. The fade-out at the end felt a little cheap, I think this song would have deserved a "proper" ending, but I still liked it a lot.
4 pointsArtist: Wolves in the Throne Room
Song: Dia Artio
Sent by: EliteYou're right, you don't hear that they are a black metal band in this track. It was probably the track that had the least going on of all tracks, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment in the slightest. The whole song feels very dense, right from the start, without sounding crushing and oppressing, but rather soothing and calming. I especially liked the drums with the little echo they have, making them sound a little distant, which works very well. There's not really much else to say because not a lot happens here, but it was a great track.
Artist: ISIS
Song: 10,000 Shards
Sent by: SigzI swear I'm not doing this on purpose, that you and Elite are tied! This was a great and very enjoyable song, the guitar melody sounds very hypnotic and draws you into the song right from the beginning. The lead guitar which slowly emerges creates a great transition into the heavier, distorted riffs later in the song, without sounding out of place. As with Elite's song, not a lot happens here, it rather lets the listener get lost in the song, but it was a great listen anyway.
5 pointsArtist: Iris
Song: Indian Dream
Sent by: NekovWhen I read that this track features Ian Mosley and Pete Trewavas, I was pretty excited, because Marillion is one of the only prog rock bands that I actually like. This track lived up to every last bit of my expectations and then some. It features a lengthy buildup, nearly three minutes long, but it doesn't feel too long or stretched out at all. After that, a beautiful guitar melody enters, all the while supported by great drumming, impressive key layering and some subtle yet awesome bass playing, which becomes evident in the middle part, where the bass assumes a more prominent role. The ending was a little abrupt, but it still fit the song somehow. This is exactly what I was looking for, perfect submission!
Standings:9 points: lonestar
10 points: jingle.boy
11 points: Elite, Sigz
12 points: WindMaster, wolfking
14 points: ariich, Nekov
15 points: Ultimetalhead
UMH is still in the lead, but Nekov and ariich are mightily close! Can they unsettle him from his throne in the next round?
Speaking of which, the new theme, courtesy of Nekov's number
4 is:
UNUSUAL INSTRUMENTShamelessly lifted from Elite's roulette, I want you to send me a song that features an unusual instrument. Any instrument that is not keyboards/piano, guitar, bass, drums or vocals shall be considered unusual.
A PM will be sent to lonestar shortly, telling him what the numbers will mean in the next round.